Front driving and steering mechanism for motor-vehicles.



M. W. SAPPINGTON & E. S. HORNBEBK. FRONT DRIVING AND STEERING MECHANISMFOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

'APPLIOATION mum SEPT. s, 1910. 990,073, Patented Apr 18, 1911.

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I liq-2.; 7 v 6 V g Z1 M. W. SAPPIN'GTON & E. S. HORNBEEK.

FRONT DRIVING AND STEERING MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES. APPLIUATIONFILED SEPT. a, 1910.

9905073. I Patented Apr. 18,1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

30 smooth road.

I UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE.

MEnRIcK W. SAPPINGTON AND Ema/nan 's. HORNBEEK, or WINoHESTER, ILLINOIS.

FRONT DRIVING AND STEERING MECHANISM FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 18, 1911.

Application filed'Scptember 8, 1910. Serial cNo. 580,961. I

chester m the county of ,Scott and State of lllinois, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Front Driving and SteeringMechanismforv Moli0r-Vehicles; and we do declare the following to be afull,'clear, and exact description of the inyention, such as will enableothers skilled in' the art towhich it appertains to make and use thesame.v Y

Thisinvention relates to improvements in the front driving and steeringmechanism of motor vehicles. One ob ect of the invention is to prov dean improved construction of driving mechanism adapted to be applied tothe frontwheels of a motor vehicle whereby the propulsion and steeringof the latter are greatly facilitated.

Another object is to provide a front driving mechanism for motorvehicles having in connection-therewith meaiis whereby the machine maybe readily steered and whereby should the steering mechanism becomebroken or disabled, the front wheels will right themselves and runstraight on a- With the-foregoing and other objects in view, theinvention consists of certain novel features of construction,combination and arrangement'of parts as will be more fully described andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical cross sectionalView through the f'ront axle and sup-porting sleeve show- 40 ing a sideview of the inner side of the wheel hub and a portion of the wheel; Fig.2 is a vertical cross sectional view through the wheel; Fig. 3 is ahorizontal sectional view of the same; Fig. 4 is a detail inner sideview of the outer portion of the wheel hub showing the arrangement ofthe socket whiclrreceives the outer end of the axle; Fig. 5 is a detailside View of the inner side of the hub engaging member of the axle '50frame or bearing sleeve; Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail vertical sectionalview through the central portion of the wheel hub and the adjacent endof the. axle showing more.

clearly the construction and arrangement of 5 the axle engaging deviceson the axle and in thehub. F g; 7 is a small detail View of the end ofthe axle and the hub showing in dotted lines the manner in which the hubis turned when steering the machine.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes the hub of thefront wheel of our improved driving and steering mechanism, said hubcomprlsing an outer circular plate 2 having formed in the inner side ofits central portion a substantially semicircular socket 5 the innerportion of which -is formed by an annular cone shaped projection 4 onthe inner side of the plate. In the inner side ofthe plate -2 midwaybetween the projection 4 of the socket and the outer edge of the plateis formed an annular groove 5 which constitutes one part of a ball race.The inner member of the hub 1 com-prises an annular centrally aperturedplate or ring 6 the diameter of which corresponds to the diameter of theplate or outer member 2 of the hub. In the inner side of therin 6opposite to the groove 5 in .the inner sic e of the plate 2 is formed anannular groove 7 which constitutes one. part of a second ball race.

Arranged within the hub between the plates 2 and (l is the inner bearingmember 8 of the axle sleeve or frame upon which the wheel is adapted torevolve. In the opposite outer corners of the bearing member 8 areformed annular grooves 9 which form other parts of the ball races ofwhich the grooves 5 and 7 form a part. Arranged around the bearingmember 8 between the plate 2 and. the ring 6 is an annular bearing ring10 having formed in its opposite inner corners annular grooves 11 whichcomplete the ball races between the bearing'member 8 and the revolvingportions of the wheel hub. In the ball races thus formed are arrangedannular series of bearing balls upon which the wheel revolves and whichsupport the weight of the vehicle through the bearing member 8 as willbe readily understood. The annular channel formed by the outer portionsof the plate 2 and ring tl and the bearing ring 10 is adapted to receivethe inner ends of the spokes of the wheel. The inner portion of thebearing member 8 is in the form of an annular outwardly extending ovalshaped projection'12 having formed in its inner side a substantiallysemi-circular socket 13 which practically forms a-continuation of thesocket 3 in the outer plate 2 of the hub. The outer edge of the socket13 is flared outwardly to form an annular inclined surface 14 which liesadjacent to the outer surface of the cone shaped projection 4 on theinner side of the plate 2 around the socket 3. If desired the adjacentsurfaces of the cone shaped projection 4 and the flared outer portion 14of the socket 13 may be provided I with annular grooves which form aball race 15 which is adapted to receive bearing balls 16 whereby ananti-frictional engagement is had between these parts. In the in nerside of the oval shaped projection of the bearing member 8 is formed acentrally dis-. posed annular passage 17 the walls of which are beveledor flared outwardly as shown The axle engaging or outer ,portion of thebearing member of the wheel comprises a sleeve 19 havingon its outerends laterally curved longitudinally extending arms 20, the

- the passages 21 flare or diverge outwardly toward the outer side ofthe bearing member to provide space for the arms 20 when the wheel isturned at an angle in either direction.

' Revolubly mounted in the sleeve 19 is a front driving axle 28 theouter end of which projects through the aperture 17 and into the recessor space formed by the sockets 3 and 13 of the hub and bearing member ofthe wheel. On said outer end of the axle is formed a spherical. head orball 24 in the outer surface of which is arranged a series of drivinglugs 25 which are preferably in the form of teeth having tapered orpointed inner ends 26 which are adapted to be driven or. otherwisesecured in the outer surface of the ball or spherical head 24 of theaxle and which are provided with a rounded or oval shaped outer endwhich, when the teeth are secured to the ball project outwardly asuitable distance therefrom and form the driving lugs 25. v

Arranged in the socket 5 on the plate 2 in line with the lugs 25 whenthe latter are in operative position, is an annular series of drivinglugs 28 which have their outer projecting ends in: the form of doubleoval shaped projections 29 said lugs being provided with any suitableform of attaching shanks which are secured to the inner wall of thesocket 5 in any suitable manner. By providing the projecting outer endsof. the

lugs 28 with double rounded or oval shaped surfaces and arranging thesame as shown,

the projecting oval shaped ends of the lugs 25 on the head 24 of theaxle will, when engaged with said projecting ends of the lugs 28, tendto hold the wheel in a straight line or at right angles to the axle thusassisting in keeping the vehicle in a straight course and whereby,should the steering mechanism become disabled the engagement of the ovalends of the lugs 25 on the axle with the double oval projections of thelugs on the hub of the wheel, will automatically bring the wheel into astraight line and hold the same'in this position while the machine ismoved .over smooth roads. By thusengaging the outer end of the axle withthe hub of the wheel the latter will be revolved when the axle is turnedirrespective of the position or angle of the wheel on the end of theaxle thus providing an efiicient and reliable driving mechanism for thefront wheels of the vehicle.

Rigidly connected to or formed integral with the outer portion 12 of thebearing 'member 8 is an inwardly and rearwardly projecting steering arm30 with the outer end of which is connected the usual or any suitableform of steering rod whereby the bearing member 12 and hub of the wheelmay be turned on the pivot pins 22 and end of the axle thereby providingan efficient means whereby the machine may be readily steered in thedesired direction. By arranging the pivotal connection between themovable parts of the wheel the stationary por-,

tion of the hearing or coupling in a direct line with the center of thespherical head on the outer end of the axle the turning of 00- the wheelfor steering the machine will be greatly facilitated.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, the construction and operation of the invention will bereadily understood without requiring amore. extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principleorsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as defined inclaims. i

, Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. In a front driving and steering mechanism for motor vehicles, abearing member the appended comprising an axle engaging sleeve, having abifurcated outer end, an outer bearing section pivotally mounted on thebifurcated shaped outer faces, and an annular series of driving lugsarranged on the face of'said spherical axle head and having oval-shapedouter faces and arranged to extend between .125 the socket] of said huband having oval-- row of lugs in the hub socket whereby the Wheel isdriven and will be automatically tion on the outer held in a straightcourse.

2. In a front drivingandsteeringmeohanism for motor vehicles, a bearingmember comprising a hub composed of an outencircular plate having acentrally disposed semicircular socket formed in its inner face, an

annular cone-shaped projection surrounding said socket, an annularspacing flange arranged on the inner face of sald plate betweensaid'projection and the periphery of the plate, an inner membercomprising an annular plateof a diameter corresponding to the diameterof the outer plate, means for securing said inner and outer platestogether, an inner-bearin member arranged between said lates in t espace formed by the annular ange and cone-shaped projec- 1ate,' ballbearings arranged between sai members, said bearing member having anoutwardly extending oval-shaped projection with a semi-circular socketon its inner face arranged to register with the socket in said outerplate, the outer walls of said socket being flared outwardl said innermember having-passages exten ing transversely therethrough with thewalls of said passages flared outwardly, an axle engagin sleeve havingits outer end bifurcated and the arms thereof extending into thepassages of said bearing member and having beveled inner facesengaginthe cone-shaped member of said outer p ate, means pivotally connectingsaid arms with said bearing member, and an axle revolubi 'mounted insaid sleeve and having a s heriv stud outer plate and earing member andmeans cal head arran ed in the sockets 0 on said head and on the face ofone of said sockets for driving and automatically holding the Wheel in astraight course.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto.

set our hands in ing witnesses.

MERRICK w.. SAPPINGTON. EDWARD S. HORNBEEIQ Witnesses:

Geo. W. HOGAN,

CHARLES S. DOYLE.

presence of two subscrib- Copies of this patent may be obtainedfor fivecents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G.

